Newmilns

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Newmilns
Ayrshire
Newmilns viaduct.jpg
Newmilns Viaduct
Location
Grid reference: NS533372
Location: 55°36’29"N, 4°19’44"W
Data
Population: 3,057  (2001)
Post town: Newmilns
Postcode: KA16
Dialling code: 01560
Local Government
Council: East Ayrshire
Parliamentary
constituency: 		Kilmarnock and Loudoun

Newmilns is a small town in Ayrshire, which with Greenholm had a population of 3,057 people at the 2001 census. Newmilns is on the A71 road, around seven miles east of Kilmarnock and twenty-five miles southwest of Glasgow.

The town is in a valley through which the River Irvine runs and alongside its neighbouring towns of Darvel and Galston, forms an area known as the Upper Irvine Valley (locally referred to as The Valley). As the name suggests, the burgh exists in two parts - Newmilns lies to the north of the river, whilst Greenholm lies to the south. The river also divides the parishes of Loudoun and Galston, which is why the burgh, although generally referred to as Newmilns, has retained both names.

Name and mills

The name Newmilns is Old English; niwe mylen means "new mill". The earliest known recording of the name appears as Nawemeln in 1126,[1] with the use of the plural s dating from at least as early as the 15th century.[2]

Of the mills themselves, little now remains. The last in operation was Pate's Mill, which sat on Brown Street opposite the railway station (present-day Vesuvius building).[3] Famed in Allan Ramsay's poem, "The Lass o Pate's Mill", it was demolished in 1977[4] and all that now remains is part of the mill's exterior wall. The only mill building still intact can be found at the foot of Ladeside. Now used as housing, Loudoun Mill (formerly the Meal Mill / Corn Mill of Newmilns) was in use from 1593 until it stopped producing meal in the 1960s.[4] In 1970, the mill wheel was removed and the lade filled in, with the only remaining suggestion of the site's former use being a motto, "No Mill, No Meal - JA 1914" inscribed on the outer wall.[4]

History

Early history

Evidence of early habitation can be found across the valley, with the earliest sites dating from around 2000 BC.[5] To the east of Loudoun Gowf Course, evidence has been found of the existence of a Neolithic stone circle, whilst a Neolithic burial mound lies underneath the approach to the seventh green.[5] A site in Henryton uncovered a Neolith barrow containing stone axes (c. 1500 BC) and a Bronze Age cairn dating from about 1000 BC (the cairn itself contains cists which are thought to be have been made by bronze weapons or tools).[5]

Following this early period, from around AD 200 evidence exists of not only a Roman camp at Loudoun Hill, but also a Roman road running through The Valley to the coast at Ayr.[4] The camp was uncovered through quarry work taking place south of Loudoun Hill but tragically much of this evidence has been lost. According to local workmen, many of the uncovered remains & artefacts were taken with the rest of the quarried materials to be used in road construction projects.[4]

Little is known of the valley's history during the Dark Ages]], but it seems likely that an important battle was fought around AD 575 at the Glen Water.[5] In addition, given the strong strategic importance of Newmilns' position as a suitable fording place and a bottleneck on one of Scotland's main east-west trade routes, it is not unlikely that other battles and skirmishes occurred during this period.

The period AD 800 - 1200 can be characterised by the presence of a motte and mediæval earthworks north of Loudoun Kirk, the remnants of a mediæval castle and lime-kilns to the west of Woodhead Farm and a profusion of forts across Loudoun Parish. These have been attributed to the presence of Vikings in the area.[5]

Burgh of Barony

Newmilns became a free Burgh of Barony on 9 January 1490, a privilege bestowed upon George Campbell of Loudoun (and consequently the people of Newmilns) by King James IV.[2] This was an important stage in the development of Newmilns as it granted liberties over control of the local economy, the right to elect local Baillies and necessary local government officials and the right to hold weekly markets and annual fairs.[2]

Newmilns is Ayrshire's oldest inland burgh, ahead of Auchinleck (1507), Cumnock (1509) Mauchline (1510), Kilmaurs (1527) and Kilmarnock (1592).[6] The granting of burgh status is generally recognised by residents of Newmilns as the birth of the town, hence the quincentenary celebrations in 1990. Newmilns was upgraded to a Burgh of Regality]] in 1707.[6]

Church history

Loudoun Church
Covenanters memorial in the grounds of Loudoun Church

Loudoun Kirk is generally accepted as having been erected in 1451,[7] although this has been disputed.[8] To accommodate Newmilns' growing population, a chapel was erected in 1530 and became the main parish church at some point after 1600[8] (it is speculated that this happened in 1738, with the erection of a church on the present day Main Street site of Loudoun Church, however no evidence exists to confirm this[7]). Latterly, Newmilns had three distinct congregations and church buildings, Loudoun Old (Church of Scotland), Loudoun East (Free Church of Scotland) and Newmilns West (United Presbyterian).[7] The West Church congregation was dissolved in 1961 whilst in 1980, the East Church and Loudoun Church congregations amalgamated, leaving Loudoun Church the main place of worship in Newmilns.[7] The disused church buildings were demolished in 1961 and 1986 respectively,[7] with West Church Street and East Church Court providing the only clues to the former whereabouts of these buildings.

Around 1520, a local farmer and Lollard called Murdoch Nisbet produced the first Scots Language version of the New Testament.[9] At the time, it was illegal to possess a layman's copy of The Bible, with the offence punishable by either imprisonment or death. This, coupled with the political persecution of Lollards, forced Nisbet to flee the country.[9] Thankfully, Nisbet was eventually able to return and upon his death, bequeathed the book to his son. It was subsequently passed down through generations of the Nisbet family before coming into the possession of the British Museum, where it remains today.[9] In 2003, a new housing development was named Murdoch Nisbet Court in his honour.[10]

The Reformation swept the land later in the sixteenth century; the Lollards were vindicated. All was not settled at once however. The Solemn League and Covenant was greeted with particular enthusiasm in Lowland Scotland, though opposed by the King for proposing the abolition of bishops. On 1 June 1679, a large conventicle taking place near Loudoun Hill was attacked by a company of dragoons, led by John Graham of Claverhouse. This encounter was to become known as the Battle of Drumclog and saw the Covenanters successfully rout Claverhouse's forces. It is known that Nisbet's great-grandson, John Nisbet was present at Drumclog, as were Newmilns residents John Gebbie and John Morton, who both died during the battle.[11] From this, it is highly likely that many more Newmilns residents were in attendance.

Alongside Gebbie and Morton, Newmilns claims several other Covenanter martyrs. A memorial stone in the grounds of Loudoun Church records the names of Matthew Paton (captured during the Pentland Rising and executed in Glasgow on 19 December 1666), David Findlay (shot in Newmilns by order of General Dalziel in 1666), James Wood (captured at the Battle of Bothwell Brig and executed at Magus Muir on 25 November 1679), James Nisbet (executed in Glasgow on 11 June 1684) and the aforementioned John Nisbet (fought at Pentland, Drumclog and Bothwell Brig, captured during a service in Fenwick and executed at Kilmarnock Cross on 14 April 1683).[11] A stone plaque in Castle Street also records the name of John Law, who was shot in April 1685 whilst successfully helping eight Covenanters escape their imprisonment in Newmilns Keep.[11]

Weaving, Lace and Industrialisation

Towards the end of the 16th Century, Huguenot refugees settled in the area and introduced Newmilns to the craft of weaving.[12] About two centuries later, Britain began importing cotton from the USA and as Newmilns by this time had a long-established weaving tradition, the town's handloom industry rose to national prominence.[12] The success of this industry can be seen by the growth in population from around 500 in 1750 to 2,000 in 1850.[12] Newmilns also became very prosperous during this period, evidenced by both buildings around the Cross and the institution of the Trades' Race in 1743, which became an annual event for many years to come.

Born in Newmilns in 1821, Joseph Hood became a major player in the lace industry. By the age of 21, he had already developed, manufactured and supplied many Jacquard Looms and throughout his life, was responsible for many weaving innovations.[12] Handloom weaving however was in decline. The introduction of the power loom in 1877 and general move towards automation left many weavers unemployed, resulting in a population drop as many left Newmilns to find work.[12] Joseph Hood and his colleague, Hugh Morton, installed a lace curtain machine in Newmilns in 1876 and very quickly, others followed suit. Within ten years, a further eight companies had formed, providing work for over 1,500 people.

The success of the lace industry prompted a boom in the urban development of Newmilns. The town expanded rapidly in all directions, particularly to the east of the townfoot and south into Greenholm, with areas such as Loudoun Road, Darvel Road and Borebrae seeing the erection of many villas for Newmilns' growing middle-class. This was further augmented by the creation of council housing during the 20th Century, primarily in Gilfoot, Mason's Holm, Campbell Street and Ladeside. Expansion slowed however as the lace industry fell into decline during the 20th century, with foreign competition, World War I, the Great Depression and Second World War all contributing to the loss of markets and access to raw materials. Whilst the original Hood & Morton factory still stands on Nelson Street, it is now disused and only two lace mills remain in operation.

Modern era

Newmilns has suffered a significant drop in employment through the aforementioned decline of the lace industry, the closure of the Bleachfield, the railway station, the Cooperative and many other major employers including most recently, the Vesuvius plant in Brown Street. Many shopkeepers and tradesmen, who were dependent upon the business of locally employed residents have also gone out of business. This is reflected by the transformation of Newmilns from an industrial town into a commuter town, which is evidenced by a higher-than-average proportion of Newmilns' residents having to travel to their place of employment [13] and a drop in population from a pre-war 5,000 to just over 3,000 today.

Townscape

Newmilns Keep, probably built by Sir Hugh Campbell in the 1530s

Newmilns extends for about two miles along the narrowest part of The Valley and vaguely follows the course of the river. Most of the town sits on the north side of the river, whilst the south side remains less-developed, despite being generally flatter. Newmilns' urban development is reasonably easy to chart - as the town extends from The Cross to its outskirts, newer buildings become more abundant and the A71 gradually widens. In recent years, redevelopment of disused factories and buildings has brought new housing into older areas of the town, although some of these buildings have retained their original façade.

Newmilns' most significant buildings are concentrated in and around The Cross. The townhouse was built in 1739 and is a sign of Newmilns' prosperity during the handloom period. The townhouse steps led to the council chamber, whilst the side door (on the Main Street) led to the jail underneath. The town bell (housed in the belltower above the building) is engraved with the date 1547, predating the building below.[5] At the far end of The Cross from the townhouse is the Browns Institute, which was gifted to Newmilns by Ms Martha Brown (of Lanfine) in 1872, whilst across the road stands the Loudoun Arms, which was built during the 18th Century.

To the east of The Cross can be found three adjacent buildings, the Commercial Inn, Morton Hall and Lady Flora's, which date to 1869, 1896 and 1875 respectively. Both Lady Flora's and the Commercial Inn have since been turned into housing, but have retained their original facade. The Morton Hall still serves as Newmilns' town hall, however with regionalisation in 1975, responsibility for the hall was transferred to the council bureaucracy, taking it out of the hands of the Newmilns' townsfolk to whom it had been gifted.

Standing behind The Cross in Castle Street, The Keep (occasionally referred to as Newmilns Tower) is Newmilns' oldest building. The building dates from the 1530s[14] and was probably built by Sir Hugh Campbell (not to be confused with either Hugh Campbell, 1st Lord Campbell of Loudoun or Hugh Campbell, 3rd Earl of Loudoun, who both lived much later). Over its history, The Keep has served many purposes, including being used as a barracks, prison, grain store, doocot, band hall and beer cellar. After falling into a state of disrepair for many years, it was restored in 1997[14] and now exists as housing.

Lamlash House

Lamlash House (formerly Bank House) stands on Brown Street at the Greenholm Bridge. It is an imposing red standstone property of traditional vernacular architecture which was built from 1888-1889 by Robert Carmichael Mitchell, the local Bank Agent and Match Manufacturer in Glasgow. The land on which the house sits was purchased from Martha Brown of the Lanfine Estate.

In the entrance staircase of the house, there are 5 stained glass windows designed by Stephen Adam which feature images of James Hogg, Sir Walter Scott, Allan Ramsay, Robert Tannahill and Robert Burns. Each of the windows contains a floral panel which links back to the image of Flora, the Roman Goddess of flowers and the season of Spring.

The property was listed in 1992 and since 2006, has undergone a major programme of internal and external restoration works to ensure its longterm integrity.

Wildlife

Mistle Thrush in Downiesburn Park

With its mix of agricultural, wooded, urban, and freshwater environments, Newmilns is home to a wide variety of wildlife. Notably, this includes a Red Squirrel population which has largely escaped the reduction of its numbers seen elsewhere in the country. Alongside squirrels more common mammals can be found, such as the badger, fox, deer, rabbit, hare, weasel, stoat, hedgehog and varieties of rats, mice, shrews and voles. The river provides home to minnows, salmon and trout, whilst frogs, toads, bats and a large and varied insect population can be found nearby. To the west of Newmilns, local residents have sighted kingfishers along the riverbank which although elusive, are a popular aspect of the river's biodiversity.

Newmilns is also home to a large bird population. The jackdaw is perhaps the most common resident and can be found nesting and feeding in buildings and gardens throughout the town. Accompanying the jackdaw are its close relatives, crows and rooks alongside a variety of other birds including the swift, swallow, sparrowhawk, wren, dunnock, robin, starling, pied wagtail, spotted flycatcher, magpie, dipper, oyster catcher, curlew, treecreeper, fieldfare, goose, cuckoo, buzzard and varieties of gull, duck, collared dove and wood pigeon, warbler, sparrow, tit, thrush and finch. Herons are commonplace along the river whilst kestrels are often found to the west of the town. Owls (generally tawny and barn owls) are also found in the area, although their numbers have declined over the years.

Lammas Floods

On 18 October 1954, residents of Newmilns were shocked to witness an avalanche of "black debris-littered scum"[15] make its way down Darvel Road before eventually settling at the East Strand. The black tide caused damage to homes and businesses across the east of Newmilns and prompted one factory owner, James Inglis, to sue the town council for damages.[15] The town coup, which for eighteen years prior had been situated in a field above Darvel Road, had been washed downhill by severe rainfall and left much of Newmilns swamped in filth.

Many residents who witnessed this were reminded of the night of 10 August 1920, when severe rainfall caused the river to burst its banks in several places.[16] The damage most notably occurred along the Main Street and Kilnholm Street, where the force of the river caused the adjacent stone wall to collapse[17][18] (replaced by the current-day Red Wall) and caused the near-destruction of the Iron Brig[19] (replaced by the current Iron Brig). It also caused great damage to the Henderson, Morton, Inglis & Co factory, which was built over the Norrel Burn. The high volume of water caused the lade to burst and consequently, the burn flooded the factory floor causing damage to both machinery and electricity cables.[16]

These floods are extreme examples of a phenomenon known as the Lammas Floods. As the floods usually occur around August, it is likely the name derives from Lammas Day, which falls on 1 August.[19] Since 1954, better planning, understanding of rainfall patterns and sturdier building has severely marginalised the impact of the Lammas Floods, however both 2007 and 2008 saw their return to Newmilns, when heavy rainfall caused burns north of the town to burst their banks and flow through the streets, again causing damage to homes and businesses across the town.[20][21]

Recreation

The Broons Road in Autumn

Popular Pastimes

Aside the usual array of clubs and organisations catering for different age ranges and interest groups, Newmilns is host to a variety of different sports, leisure & social pursuits including a bowling club, a dry ski slope and mountain-bike track, three public houses, an annual cattle show, a library and three public parks at Greenside, the Glebe and Gilfoot. Jamieson Park (Gilfoot) is also home to Newmilns' amateur football team, Newmilns Vesuvius AFC, who currently play in the Premier Division of the Ayrshire AFC.[22]

Irvine Valley Walking Festival

2003 saw the commencement of the Irvine Valley Walking Festival.[23] The 2003 festival was attended by 400 people[23] and has since become an annual event, growing in size and stature over this time. The festival is based around the Irvine Valley Paths Network, which connects some 35 miles worth of disused railway line, Right of way (public throughway)|rights of way and country roads around The Valley and nearby Hurlford.[23] Participants are usually accompanied by guides, who impart their knowledge of local points of interest found along the way.[23] The Irvine Valley Regeneration Partnership, which runs the event, is based in the townhouse at Newmilns Cross.[24]

Gala Day

Band on Gala Day

Newmilns holds an annual gala day. The day starts with a brass band-led parade, which includes representatives from local groups, businesses, organisations and members of the wider community. The parade assembles at Gilfoot and heads east along Loudoun Road, Kilnholm Street and the Main Street, before turning right onto Union Street and disbanding at Greenside Park (until recent years the parade followed the reverse of this route, assembling in Union Street and disbanding at the Jamieson Park).[25]

The main event usually lasts throughout the afternoon and plays host to bands, battle reenactments, races, stalls and amusements such as tug-o-war and beat-the-goalie competitions, with the events of the afternoon culminating in the crowning of the gala queen. The gala day is viewed as an important event in Newmilns' social calendar as it brings together and caters for the whole community.[26] The Newmilns Gala Committee, which organises the event,[27] also holds fundraisers throughout the year, which again are viewed as important social events for similar reasons.

Miscellany

The Battle of the Lime Road

The Lime Road, which is found on the western periphery of Newmilns, was once a popular walk for local residents. From 1878–1893, Baron Donington of Loudoun Castle erected barriers, in a bid to block walkers' access. Local residents took the case to court and eventually won, protecting the Lime Road's status as a public right of way. It is now recognised by the Irvine Valley Path Network, although certain barriers have been erected to block free access to Loudoun Castle Theme Park.

Street Names

Over the years, various street name changes have taken place. High Street was originally divided into three, being known from bottom to top as Doitburn Street, Grey Street & High Street respectively.[28] Nelson Street was similarly divided, known from west to east as North Devon Place, Waterwynd & Nelson Street respectively. The area of the Main Street around the Brigend was known as West Strand, whilst the East Strand was located at the gardens on the Main Street, opposite the Long Entry.[28] Castle Street was originally New Road whilst Kilnholm Street led to an area known simply as The Wilderness.[28] Loudoun Road West was known (locally at least) as the Toll Road[29] and King Street was formerly known as Back Street.[28][29] A sign on an entry-wall in Loudoun Road (at the corner of Shields Road) records the name Jeffrey Place, although it is uncertain what area this encompassed.

Whilst names of streets have changed, one area of Greenholm has all but disappeared. Stewarts Place occupied the area between Browns Road and the Tilework Brae and was built to accommodate navvies brought to Newmilns for the purpose of extending the railway line to Darvel. Stewarts Place gradually fell into disrepair and became locally known as Bedlam, due to this. Remnants of the buildings still stand, but lie behind a large, stone wall and as such are largely unnoticed by local residents.

Shanghai

Gilfoot was built from 1936–39 and was pragmatically fitted out with electric street lighting. Initially, the street lights were not connected to an electricity supply, so gas lights were hung from lamp-posts until electrification could take place. The sight of this gave the area an eastern feel, leading local residents to refer to Gilfoot as Shanghai. Although the name is not in common use today, it persisted for many years after the gas lights were removed.[4]

References

  1. ↑ "A (very) brief history of Newmilns". s1Newmilns. 2001-01-31. http://www.s1newmilns.com/memories/a-very-brief-history-of-newmilns.html. Retrieved 2011-04-26. 
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Unknown, Charter: Upon the creation of the Town of Newmyllis into a Free Burgh of Barony, 1490
  3. ↑ "Scotland's Places - Newmilns, Brown Street, Pate's Mill". Scotlandsplaces.gov.uk. http://www.scotlandsplaces.gov.uk/search_item/index.php?service=RCAHMS&id=162434. Retrieved 2011-04-26. 
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 Bobby Young, Newmilns: The Town of Light and Leading (A Visual Record), 1998
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 Various, Historical Aspects of Newmilns, Chapter: A History of Newmilns, Ayrshire (Fred Woodward), 1990
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 East Ayrshire Council: TOURISM: Photo Gallery
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 Various, Historical Aspects of Newmilns, Chapter: Religion in Newmilns (Rev. Adam Girvan), 1990
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 "Friends Of Loudoun Kirk: History of Loudoun Kirk". Loudounkirk.org.uk. http://www.loudounkirk.org.uk/folk/history.html. Retrieved 2011-04-26. 
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 Various, Historical Aspects of Newmilns, Chapter: Murdoch Nisbet and the New Testament in Scots (Rev. Adam Girvan), 1990
  10. ↑ East Ayrshire Council: Newmilns Heritage Townscape Initiative Projects
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 Various, Historical Aspects of Newmilns, Chapter: The Covenanters (David Dumigan Jnr.), 1990
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 12.3 12.4 Various, Historical Aspects of Newmilns, Chapter: The Lace Industry (Alex Muir), 1990
  13. ↑ "Scottish Census Records Online". Scrol.gov.uk. http://www.scrol.gov.uk/scrol/browser/profile.jsp?profile=Employment&mainArea=newmilns&mainLevel=Locality. Retrieved 2011-04-26. 
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 IVRP: A Rich History
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 Kilmarnock Standard, 23/10/54
  16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 Weekly Supplement and Advertiser, 17/08/20
  17. ↑ East Ayrshire Council: TOURISM: Photo Gallery
  18. ↑ East Ayrshire Council: TOURISM: Photo Gallery
  19. ↑ 19.0 19.1 East Ayrshire Council: TOURISM: Photo Gallery
  20. ↑ "Firefighters combat heavy floods, 19/07/07". BBC News. 2007-07-19. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/glasgow_and_west/6906123.stm. Retrieved 2011-04-26. 
  21. ↑ "Flooding Follows Torrential Rain, 14/08/08". BBC News. 2008-08-14. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/edinburgh_and_east/7561580.stm. Retrieved 2011-04-26. 
  22. ↑ "SportsFocus - Directory Listing - Newmilns Vesuvius AFC". Sportfocus.com. http://www.sportfocus.com/comdir/cditem.cfm?NID=50022. Retrieved 2011-04-26. 
  23. ↑ 23.0 23.1 23.2 23.3 IVRP: Valley Regeneration
  24. ↑ IVRP: About Us
  25. ↑ "2009 Gala Day Programme". s1Newmilns. http://www.s1newmilns.com/news/programme-for-newmilns-gala-day-on-saturday-the-25th-of-july-2009.html. Retrieved 2011-04-26. 
  26. ↑ EAC News Archives: Newmilns Gala Day
  27. ↑ "Newmilns Gala Committee". s1Newmilns. http://www.s1newmilns.com/groups/newmilns-gala-committee/. Retrieved 2011-04-26. 
  28. ↑ 28.0 28.1 28.2 28.3 Map: Ordnance Suvery, 1862
  29. ↑ 29.0 29.1 R. Brown, Map, 1980

Further Study

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